Theft-inhibiting shopping basket

ABSTRACT

An improved theft-inhibiting modular plastic shopping basket, having a base and side walls, the base being provided with a downwardly open integrally formed recess, and a security device within the recess. A preferred security device is an electronic article surveillance label, which can be adhesively affixed to a component within the recess.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to basket apparatus for shopping, or a shopping basket, having integral theft inhibiting means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In existing shopping baskets, once a shopper goes to the check out, the purchases are removed from the basket and placed in bags, and shopper carries the bags out of the store, usually to an automobile or abode. The basket is returned to a stack of baskets near the store entrance, for pickup and use by another shopper. Baskets are not secured, so a shopper leaving the store can readily pick up a basked and utilize it to carry packages. Once outside of the store a shopping basket is rarely returned.

Shopping carts with baskets thereon have been removed from stores for such uses as a portable suitcase for transients, a go-cart for children, a laundry hamper for apartment dwellers and a barbecue pit for beachgoers. The Supermarket Institute in Washington estimates that a shopping cart is stolen every 90 seconds in the United States. Shopping baskets not mounted on carts are also stolen, usually by shoppers. It has been reported that some stores have lost more than 100 baskets per year.

With the invented apparatus, the basket is provided with a hidden security device attached to the basket, making it less probable that the store will incur the loss of a basket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a shopping basket concept that incorporates a security device within a basket for use in supermarkets or other stores, which is inconspicuous, and effective in preventing the basket from being removed from the store.

The security device sets off an audible alarm or other signal informing store management or store security personnel that the basket is being removed from the store without authorization, i.e., being stolen.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a basket for shopping which informs store management when a basket is being removed from the store.

It is another object of this invention to provide a basket security device which will allow the basket to nest easily with like baskets for storage or stand-by.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a shopping basket into which a security device is easily installed, yet is not readily detectable by a shopper using the basket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects will become more readily apparent by referring to the following detailed description and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the invented shopping basket.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the basket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a left end view of the basket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is right end view bottom view of the basket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the basket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the invented basket.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the basket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the central portion of the basket as seen from the top.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the central portion of the basket as seen from the bottom.

FIG. 10 is a cross section of the invented basket taken along the line 10 - 10 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a an enlarged cross section of a portion of the bottom of the basket as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top view of a cover plate which is adapted to engage the central portion of the bottom of the basket shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the cover plate of FIG. 12, which is adapted to engage the central portion of the bottom of the basket shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the central portion of the basket as seen from the bottom with the cover plate of FIG. 13 installed.

FIG. 15 is a cross section of cover engagement means for the underside of the invented basket taken along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, the invented shopping basket 10 is a modular plastic receptacle for receiving and holding items, such as food and other items that are intended to be purchased by a shopper as the shopper shops within a supermarket or other store. The shopping basket has an inclined front wall 12, opposed inclined side or end walls 14, 16, an inclined rear wall 18, and a bottom or base 20. The walls are inclined outwardly from the base, to which they are connected, to allow the basket to nest with a like basket. An upper edge 22 extends along the tops of the side walls 14,16, rear wall 18, and the front wall 12; the upper edge tapers downwardly from the center 24 of the side wall to the front wall, terminating in a flat portion 26 of the upper edge, the flat portion being situated along the top of the front wall, to allow a handle 28 (see FIG. 10) to lay along the upper edge of the front wall and a portion of the upper edge of the side wall. Handle 28 is shown in the down position in FIG. 10 to allow nesting of multiple baskets of this invention.

The base 20 of basket 10 is provided with a downwardly open integrally formed recess or small cavity 30 which has a flat upper surface 32, the recess being adapted to receive and engage a cover 36. The cover 36, which is shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, is provided with at least 3 edge notches 38, preferably 6 notches, as shown in FIG. 13, for engaging hook-like snap-fit protrusions or tabs 40 that line the recess 30, and which act as mating catches, or retaining means, for engaging the edge notches 38 and securing the cover onto the basket, covering the recess 30, and creating a hollow compartment 42 or cavity in the bottom of underside of the basket. Alternatively, the cover 36 could be a press-fit into the opening of the recess 30, or it could even be adhesively attached to the base to cover the recess.

The hollow compartment 42 in the bottom or base portion of the basket is adapted to receive a security device 44 therein, as best shown in FIG. 11. A preferred security device is a Sensormatic electronic article surveillance label available from Tyco Retail Solutions of Boca Raton, Florida. Such labels utilize acousto-magnetic technology to provide warning that an item is being removed from a protected area.

To activate the theft inhibiting aspect of the shopping basket, a loose security label is dropped into the open compartment on the underside of the basket while it is upside down, or a label can be adhesively attached to the inside of the cover 36 or to the surface forming part of the recess 30 itself. The cover is then snapped into place over the recess, closing the compartment 42 and securing the label therein, with the compartment appearing closed as in FIG. 14. Once the label 44 is in position, and the compartment 42 closed by cover 36, a user of the basket 10 cannot readily detect the presence of the security device within the basket.

It is preferable to use labels which utilize acousto-magnetic technology to provide anti-theft protection. Such labels feature a small footprint, are easy and quick to install, and are available in a variety of formats.

Acousto-magnetic systems have the ability to protect wide store exits and they allow high-speed label application. Such system uses a transmitter to create a surveillance area where labels or tags are detected. The transmitter sends a radio frequency signal in pulses, which energizes a label in the surveillance zone. When the pulse ends, the label responds, emitting a single frequency signal like a tuning fork. While the transmitter is between pulses, the label signal is detected by a receiver. When a shopper moves through a monitored gate with a label in place in recess 30 of a shopping basket 10, the transmitter in the gate energizes the material in the label and causes it to resonate at a frequency F. The transmitter then stops. The label will continue to resonate or “ring” at frequency F for a short period of time, and the receiver listens for that frequency. If the receiver “hears’ that frequency, it has detected a label and sounds an alarm which alerts store security or management.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pivot attachment 50 may be provided at the top of each side of the basket for engagement by handle 28.

SUMMARY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that we have invented an improved basket for shopping which is secure and which contains a device which informs store management when a basket is being removed from the store, a basket security device which will allow the basket to nest easily with like baskets for storage or stand-by, and a shopping basket into which a security device is easily installed, yet is not readily detectable by a shopper using the basket.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and specific embodiments are merely illustrative of the best mode of the invention and the principles thereof, and that various modifications and additions may be made to the apparatus by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, which is therefore understood to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

The claim status is now:
 1. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket, comprising: a modular plastic receptacle having a base, an inclined front wall, opposed inclined side walls, and an inclined rear wall; said base being provided with a downwardly open integrally formed recess which has a flat upper surface; and a security device within said recess.
 2. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 1, further comprising a cover over said recess.
 3. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 2, wherein said cover is engageable with said base.
 4. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 2, further comprising retaining means on said base for engaging and retaining said cover.
 5. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 1, wherein said security device is adhesively affixed to said base.
 6. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 1, wherein said security device is adhesively affixed to said cover.
 7. A theft-inhibiting shopping basket according to claim 1, wherein said security device is an electronic article surveillance label. 